


The Truth

by thedemonkingawakes



Series: Avengers Meet-Cute AUs [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, First Meeting, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 12:18:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3488000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedemonkingawakes/pseuds/thedemonkingawakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha Romanoff is an ex-rockstar searching for a new sound. Clint Barton is a songwriter with bad prospects. Clintasha meet-cute AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Truth

Nine years. Nine long, miserable years. That's how long Natasha had been with the Red Room. She'd shown up where they said, eaten what they said when they said, made the music they want her to make, all screaming and shouting and nothing like her. Natasha, drunk as she was, laughed at the idea. She wasn't even sure who **she** was anymore.

The party raged around her. Natasha leaned against the bar, a drink in one hand. She didn't remember what the party was for; she didn't really care. Ivan led someone over, introducing them as Brock Rumlow. The look Ivan shot her as he left told her that she should flirt with Brock, make out with him a bit, whatever would grab the reporters' attention.

Natasha sighed and downed the rest of her drink in one. Brock was saying something, but Natasha tuned him out, focusing on staying upright.

The Red Room hadn't been the only record labor who was interested in her, but Natasha had been young and dumb and broke, and the Red Room offered her a lot of money and a long contract. To a broke nineteen year old girl it had seemed perfect.

Natasha set down her empty glass and pushed away from the bar, muttering something about needing to use the bathroom. Brock seemed pissed about it. She must have interrupted him mid-sentence. It didn't really matter. Brock stormed away as Natasha stumbled towards the entrance to the club.

The cool air felt good on her face. Natasha hailed a cab. She slumped down in the backseat and gave the driver her address. She pay for leaving in the morning. Ivan would flip when he noticed she'd left what she now remembered to be her own album release party early.

* * *

**Bad girl rocker Natalia Romanova caught leaving album launch early and solo. What happened? Is there a special someone waiting at her flat?**

* * *

**Black Widow, Red Room star Natalia Romanova's new album tops charts. Brock Rumlow, Hydra's lead guitarist claims to have hooked up with the Black Widow singer the night of her album launch.**

* * *

Natasha slowly returned to consciousness, groaning as the full force of her hangover hit her. Her head pounded. She glanced down to see she was still wearing the same clothes as the night before. The tight, figure hugging dress was rumpled and had ridden up too far during the night. Slowly, Natasha sat up and pulled the dress over her head. She grabbed a pair of sweats off the floor and pulled them on, along with a hoodie that was at least three sizes too big for her tiny frame. Dressed in significantly more comfortable clothes, Natasha made her way into the kitchen. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and flopped down on the couch.

Natasha flipped on the TV, muting the sound so it wouldn't aggravate her headache. It was some early morning talk show. Natasha watched the screen for a moment, eating her cereal. The next guest came out and Natasha wanted to punch something. It was Ivan. Shit. He almost never did interviews, and when he did it was never good. She turned the sound back on so she could hear what he was saying.

"Red Room will not be renewing Natalia Romanova's contract when it comes due. Unfortunately, she's lost most of the talent we recruited her for. It would be a waste of resources to let her continue with our label.”

Natasha wanted to laugh. That was the best news possible. It meant there wouldn’t be a fight over her leaving. She would just...leave. Natasha stood up, set her bowl in the sink, and downed a couple of aspirin. She just had to get through one more month. Just one more.

* * *

**Washed-up rockstar Natalia Romanova dropped by Red Room Records. What’s next for the former star?**

* * *

Slowly, Natasha was rebuilding.

The Red Room had owned the penthouse she lived in, so once they had dropped her, she’d been kicked out. They phrased it nicer, but that was what it meant. She’d moved into a nice apartment in a nice part of the city. Nothing fancy. She’d set up a Twitter and an Instagram under the handle @therealromanff, ones she ran, not some Red Room lackeys. They didn’t have many followers, but Natasha didn’t do it for the followers.

Slowly, Natasha was healing.

She ate well, salads and fruits and vegetables she grew in pots on her terrace. She went on runs in Central Park in the morning, and ate pizza Friday nights. Natasha had been sober for almost a year, and it was good. Everything seemed brighter and tasted better. She went to a few AA meetings. Not often, just once every couple of weeks. It was good, especially on bad nights, to be able to go and listen. She never really talked, but it was enough just to listen.

* * *

**What happened to Natalia Romanova? The former star dropped off the grid after being cut loose by Red Room Records nearly a year ago.**

* * *

Natasha hummed a tune under her breath as she ran. She’d been trying to get back into songwriting, but it didn’t come easily anymore. The park was quiet in the early morning. Lost in thought, Natasha didn’t see the other person until it was too late. They crashed into each other, falling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

The brown-haired man pulled his earbuds out of his ears, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks. “Sorry. I should have been watching where I was going.”

Natasha shook her head as she climbed to her feet. “It’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention.” She offered the man a hand. “I’m Natasha.”

“Clint.” The man smiled as he took Natasha’s hand.

“I hope your IPod didn’t get damaged.” Natasha said.

Clint shook his head. “This old thing has seen much worse than a fall. Trust me, it’s fine.” He grinned. “Mind if I run with you for a while?”

“Sure.” Natasha replied. “I’m not very good company though.”

Clint shrugged. “Neither am I.”

The two of them set of running again. Neither of them said anything as they followed the paths through Central Park. Natasha led the way around the lake, letting the wind whip her long hair around as she turned into it. Clint kept pace with her, his earbuds dangling from his jacket pocket.

When Natasha finished her normal route, she slowed to a walk. The coffee stand she liked was just opening up and she bought a cup for herself and another one for Clint. She handed him his cup and took a seat on one of the benches. Clint sat next to her.

“So, how come I’ve never seen you before? I’ve been running this same route at the same time for seven months or so and I’ve never seen you here.”

Clint grimaced. “New hours. I used to sleep in and go for a run later in the morning, but my new job starts pretty early, so if I want to squeeze in a run before work I have to be out at the crack of dawn.”

“Where do you work?”

Clint shrugged. “I’m a musician, although I don’t actually have any permanent gigs. Various record companies hire me to do odd jobs. You know, write songs for people, play in their songs. Red Room Records hired me to write a few songs for some up and coming artist of theirs. I think they’re calling her 33.” He shrugged again. “She’s apparently a replacement for an artist they let go last year. To be honest, it’s not my style of music.”

Fighting to keep the distress out of her voice Natasha asked, “Then why do it?”

“It pays the bills.”

“Don’t work for them.” Natasha twisted the cardboard sleeve on her coffee cup around and around.

“Why?”

Natasha sighed. “Red Room Records isn’t a good company. They, they have bad contracts and worse policies, and Ivan, Petrovich, is the worst of them all. Trust me, I know them. You seem like a good guy; don’t let them destroy you.”

Clint took a sip of his coffee. “How do you know so much about them?”

“I was their star for nine years. 33, the artist they have you writing songs for, is probably who they recruited to replace Natalia Romanova.”

“You’re the infamous Natalia Romanova.”

Natasha nodded. “I’m kind of surprised it took you this long to figure it out.”

“Your music isn’t really my thing.” Clint shrugged.

Natasha laughed. “I guess you don’t read the tabloids much either.”

Clint shook his head, laughing. Natasha smiled. Clint was cute when he laughed. His eyes crinkled up and there was an adorable little twinkle that only genuine laughter could produce.

“I’m serious though. You shouldn’t work for the Red Room. They screw people over. A lot.” Natasha said once they had stopped laughing.

Clint sighed. “If I had the option, I wouldn’t, but business is slow and I need the money.”

“Work with me.” Natasha blurted out. “I’ve been trying to get back into writing songs, but it’s not very easy. You obviously know something about writing songs if the Red Room is hiring you. I can pay you, although,” She gave a little half-shrug. “it probably won’t be as much as the Red Room was paying you.”

Clint nodded. “It sounds good. The Red Room wasn’t actually paying me that much, so I’m sure it will be fine.” He grinned. “How about we meet up later and get to work? Unless you have plans, that is.”

Natasha shook her head. “Since the Red Room dropped me, I’ve had a pretty open schedule. Does noon work for you?”

“Yeah.”

Natasha scribbled her address down on a napkin and gave it to Clint. He grinned, tucking the napkin into his jacket pocket with his earbuds. She said goodbye and walked back to her apartment, still humming a tune under her breath.

* * *

**Former star Natalia Romanova spotted in Central Park with a mystery man! Who is he? Could he be the bad girl's newest lover?**

* * *

It was half past twelve when Natasha’s doorbell rang. She set down her violin and went to open the door. Clint was standing there, his hands shoved into the pocket of his jeans. Natasha let him in before disappearing back into the spare room. Clint followed her, taking in the neat, put together appearance of the house. In contrast, the spare room was an explosion of papers and instruments. Natasha swept a pile of balled up paper off one of the chairs and onto the floor.

“You play violin?” Clint asked, sitting down in the chair Natasha had cleared off.

Natasha nodded. “And guitar.” She sat down cross-legged in the other empty chair and picked up her violin again.

Clint picked up one of the crumpled sheets of paper and smoothed it out so he could read it. Natasha started playing a melody on her violin as Clint read several of the crumpled pages.

“These are pretty good.” Clint said eventually. “Rough around the edges, but the basis is there.”

“Thanks.” Natasha replied, resting her violin in her lap. “It’s just, not what I want to make. I spent nine years making music I hated. I want to make something real, something me, and I can’t really find that anymore.”

Clint smiled softly. “That’s not something I can really help with.”

“I don’t know. I think you’re better at it than you think.” She laughed. “And you can definitely call me out on my bullshit.” She gestured to the piano. "You want to play?"

Clint nodded and took a seat on the piano bench. Natasha handed him a sheet of handwritten music. She stood behind him, her violin pressed against her shoulder. Clint started playing, and Natasha joined in after a few beats, the soft tones of the piano mingling with the violin's melancholy song. Natasha watched Clint's fly across the keys. He was...hot. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him play. After everything that had happened with the Red Room, she had never considered the fact that she might be able to have a real relationship, something entirely her own.

* * *

**Natalia Romanova caught with mystery man in intimate photos!**

* * *

“Fuck.” Natasha tossed the magazine onto the counter and groaned in frustration. The picture took up the rest of the front page. It was her and Clint, sitting together in Central Park after one of their runs. The picture was perfectly innocent. Clint’s arm was slung around her and she was leaning into him a bit, laughing at some stupid joke he’d made. They were just friends, even if sometimes Natasha did wonder what it would be like to kiss him. But the media would blow everything out of proportion. After all, she was the bad girl of rock, at least according to the media.

The phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. Natasha answered the phone without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Natasha." Clint sounded like he was grinning. "Do you want to work at my apartment today?"

Natasha found herself nodding before she realized Clint couldn't see her. "Yeah, that'd be great."

"Good." Maybe it was just her imagination, but Clint seemed to hesitate for a moment before he added, "You might want to bring some spare clothes. If the snow accumulates as much as they say it will, we might end up caught in a travel ban."

Natasha smirked. "Alright. See you in an hour or so." As she hung up the phone, it occurred to Natasha that Clint probably hadn't meant anything by suggesting she bring spare clothing. He was just being kind.

~*~*~

Natasha stepped into Clint's apartment in a gust of wind. The snow had started when she halfway there, and it had only gotten worse as time went on. The lights were off in his apartment and stubby candles glowed around the main room, casting a warm light around the entire apartment.

“Sorry,” Clint said. “the power went out like twenty minutes after I called you and like an idiot, I haven’t charged my cell in a few days, so it’s dead.”

Natasha shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“There building has a generator, but the super is out of town and I’m not sure anyone else knows how to work it.”

Natasha chuckled softly and lifted her violin out of its case. She sat down by one of the candles, playing a slow melody. Her eyes were closed, her fingers dancing across the strings like that was what they had been made to do.

When she finally lowered her bow, Clint kissed her.

“Sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.” Clint backed up a few steps. “Sorry.”

Natasha smiled as she set down her violin. “I’m not.” She took a few steps forward and kissed Clint.

Clint kissed her back, one hand tangling in her long curls. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this.” He grinned, his forehead resting against hers. “But I didn’t think you felt the same, and it seemed better to not say anything, but you looked hot and really adorable while you were playing, and-”

Natasha kissed him again. “You’re babbling. It’s cute.”

* * *

**Natalia Romanova, the former star of Red Room Records, was seen leaving the apartment of an unnamed man after four days of a heavily enforced travel ban. Is the ‘bad girl’ signing with a new label or is this the same ‘mysterious lover’ she’s been seen with several times over the past few months?**

* * *

**New music by an old star! Former rocker girl Natalia Romanova released a thirty second clip of music on her YouTube channel today. The video bore the caption "For C, hope this last year has been worth it."**

* * *

"I have a friend who works at Shield Records. His name's Phil."

Natasha tapped the end of a pen against her chin, making a noncommittal noise.

"Phil and Fury, the big boss, want to meet with you."

Natasha looked up. "Really?"

Clint nodded. "They like your stuff. Your new stuff, I mean."

"And how'd they find out about my new stuff?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow as she turned her attention back to the sheet of paper in front of her.

"You don't know?" Clint chuckled. "Tash, that clip you posted for my birthday has over a million hits. Some tabloid found it and now it's everywhere. Phil found it and showed it to Fury, and then he sent me an email."

"Okay."

Clint blinked in surprise. "Really? That's it?"

Natasha nodded. "You seem to think it’s a good idea, so I'll talk to them."

Clint got up from the piano and walked over to kiss Natasha. She smiled and kissed him back.

* * *

**Natalia Romanova signs with Shield Records!**

* * *

**Natalia Romanova drops new album unannounced under the name 'Natasha Romanoff!'**

* * *

**Today, we got the chance to sit down with Natasha Romanoff and discuss her new album, _The Truth & Who We Are_. The former Red Room star has shed her trademark leather and rhinestones look in favor of a pair of charcoal jeans and a loose top, and her hair is longer than we've ever seen it, falling in long curls down her back.**

**When we asked the singer about the reason behind her new album's drastically different sound, she smirked. "When I left the Red Room, I wanted to leave it all behind. I wasn't even sure I was going to make music again, but after a while, I found myself drawn back to it. I'd write melodies, snippets of songs, whatever went through my mind really.**

**It was a conscious decision to break from the albums I had made with the Red Room. If I was making music again, I wanted it to be completely my own sound. Somewhere along the way, Clint convinced me that I couldn't just forget that part of my life." At the mention of her boyfriend, Natasha's eyes lit up. "That's the inspiration for 'Natalia.'"**

**_The Truth & Who We Are_ is a beautiful, raw album. The song 'A Different Call' in particular is breathtaking. We asked Romanoff what it was like to have such a personal song sitting in the top 40 for nearly four weeks now.**

**"It's nice." The singer replied. "When I was writing it, I never imagined people would take to it as much as they have." She chuckled. "It's still a bit unnerving to hear it on the radio."**

**One of the other songs on her album, 'Delta', has been sitting firmly in the number one slot since the album's release. We've seen many a young girl swoon over the song, and according to Pepper Potts, a well-known local wedding planner, every bride wants it to be her song. When we asked her about 'Delta', Natasha's reply was simple. "Clint was the inspiration for 'Delta'. It was the last track we wrote for the album, and it seemed a fitting way to end _The Truth & Who We Are_." Her gaze grew distant and she took a sip of her water before continuing. "Delta is about bad jokes that you laugh too hard at and snowstorms that trap you in an apartment together. It's about standing at the top of the Empire State Building and watching the sunset. It's about change, and about love."**

**Without prompting, Natasha went on to tell us about Clint [Barton], her boyfriend and co-writer on _The Truth & Who We Are_. "Clint is my better half. He keeps me focused, and without him I'd probably still be sitting in my apartment surrounded by crumpled up paper. We met by chance, and I'm eternally grateful that neither of us pay much attention when we're running, because Clint...Clint is the best thing that has ever happened to me." She shot us a grin that reminded us just why she earned a reputation as the 'bad girl of rock.' "Clint is also one of the most talented musicians I've ever had the chance to work with. He has this…grasp of how all the pieces fit together that I've never seen before. Having him write and perform this album with me was an absolute pleasure."**

**_The Truth & Who We Are_ is available on ITunes. Romanoff and Barton will be on tour starting at the end of June. You can find Natasha online under @therealromanoff. Her new single, 'Unmade', is expected to be released on July 18th.**

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to start a series of meet-cute AUs. They're not all going to be Clintasha though.


End file.
